INVERARY, or, more properly, perhaps, Inverara, is the capital of Argyllshire The Celtic name is lonarao radh, i. e. the discharge of the Ara ; the place where the river of that name falls into the sea. This name was more applic .ble to the old than to the modern town. Previous to the year 1773, Inverary stood on the banks of the ri ver, at the point where the mountain stream and the tide meet. But his Grace the Duke of Argyll. conceiving the town to be too close to his magnificent castle, removed it soon after that period to its present site. This change his Grace was the more easily enabled to accomptish, from the circumstance of his being almost sole proprietor, there being only a single feu in the place. And the inha bitants had rather cause to be pleased than sorry at its re mo•al, as both the new houses and situation are greatly preferable to the old. Inverary now stands on a small pe ninsula, about a quarter of a mile south from the castle, and from its former position. The town, though small, is neat and handsome, particularly its north-eastern front, which produces a very pleasing and picturesque effect when it opens on the traveller approaching it by the great road from the south. Indeed the view of the place, to a stranger visiting by this route the capital of Argathelia, is altogether magnificent. On turning the point of Stron shira, a point of land about two miles distant projecting into Lochfine, the far-famed castle, the sprightly town, with its numerous flotilla of boats, the endless variety of peaks and banks, of hill and dale, of wood and water, which, all at once, and as if it were by enchantment, burst upon the of the traveller, rivet him to the spot, and overwhelm him with admiration and astonishment. From the vast number of objects, which, on turning this point, present themselves to the sight of the delighted beholder, objects not only individually interesting or magnificent, but grouping in the happiest manner, it is probable, that there is not another spot in the empire which can afford a prospect so striking and diversified. But the limits of an article of this kind will not allow us to enlarge on the varied beauties of lnverary. The truth is, that no descrip• tion, however ably or eloquently written, can give an ade quate idea of the fine views to be seen at this place ; and we would recommend it to every person who is fond of the lovely and sublime in nature, to gratify his curiosity and taste by visiting lnverary ; and employing, at least, a couple of days in examining its interesting and extensive scenery The population of the town of in amounting, within the royalty, according to the census taken in 1810, to only 1134 souls. There is little doubt that both the place and the population would have been greatly larger, had not the policy, whether judicious is rather questionable, of the family of Argyll been always averse to the increase.
There is only a single feu in the place, which was grant ed in lieu of a similar right possessed in the old town. A great part of the houses was built at the cxpence of his Grace, and are let to the inhabitants ; and such as were erected at the cost of private individuals have been built on long leases.
Of Inverary little is known previous to its having been made a burgh in the year 1648. There is reason to sup pose that, before that period, it was a mere fishing village. But the patronage of the I:tinily of Argyll, the erection of the place into a royal burgh, and its becoming the seat of the circuit and sheriff courts, soon raised it to some im po•tance. The town is governed by a provost, two bailies, a clean of guild, and a council of twelve burgesses, and it joins with Ayr, Irvine. Rothsay, and Campbelltown, in sending a member to Parliament. The revenues of the place are hut trifling, though the charter vests the corpo ration with the right of levying harbour dues from every vessel which enters any creek or harbour in the shire. Unfortunately, however, the rights of the burgh were, till within the last few years, hidden in the mysticism of law L wtin ; and there is reason to fear that this important pri vilege, from its having been allowed to remain so long in desuetude, may now be lost. As might be expected, from the circumstance of lnverary being the scat of the courts of law. a considerable proportion of the genteel inhabit ants follow this profession. Here, as in other places, it is found to be a thriving profession ; and many instances have occurred, within the last 50 years, of men rising from the desk to the possession of considerable landed proper ties. The English language is generally spoken in the town. The better classes of the inhabitants. of both sexes, speak it with considerable propriety ; and are, in general, distinguished for their politeness and intelligence. • There are at present (1817) no manufactures in the town or parish, though the dukes of Argyll, with that lau dable attention to the interest and improvement of the country, which has uniformly distinguished that noble fa mily, have madc many attempts to establish them. Toe great staple, on which the bulk of the population of the place and of the whole coast of Lochfine depend for em ployment and subsistence, is the herring fishery. From the excellence and occasional abundance of the herrings caught in this loch, this is found to be a very lucrative trade, yielding sometimes more than 40,000/. per annum. Inverary has no foreign trade ; its chief traffic consists in the export of wool and salted herrings to the Clyde and to Liverpool, and in the import of coals, meal, and mer chandise, for the use of the inhabitants of the place and neighbourhood.